Combined can lid rack and sterilizer



Dec. 22, 1931. H. DRESSLER v1,837,954

COMBINED CAN LID RACK AND STERILIZER Filed Aug. 4, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet lI as I {I l 1 r i 1 I I g] MWR Dec. 22, 1931. H, DRESSLER 1,837,954

COMBINED CAN LID RACK AND STERILIZER Filed Aug. 4. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Dec. 22, .1931

PATENT OFFICE HENRY F UBBANA, OHIO v .oomnmnn can LID imcx AND srnamznnApplication flied August 4 1925. Serial No. 297,487.

This invention relates to 2. Combination can lid rack and sterilizer.

The primary object of the invention 1s to prdvide a combination of thischaracter, 1neluding revolving cages, each designed to I hold a largenumber of milk can tops or the like, and each cage being adjustable toaccommodate lids of various sizes.

Another object of the invention is to furnish a canlid rack that willoccupy only a small floor space, and which always holds the lids in suchposition that they may be readily seen at all times.

A further object is to provide, a rotatable l5 lid rack havingindependently rotatable cages in order that the operators-may haveaccess to various sized lids at the same time.

Most dairy plants keep their lids in barrels or on stationary shelves,which take up 30 a great deal of room and render the lids inaccessible.It is another object of my invention to eliminate the disadvantages ofthe old system, and to combine the rack with a sterilizer, in order thatthe lids may be kept in sanitary condition.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view whichwill appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in thenovel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the a pendedclaims.

Referring to the rawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in verticalsection, of my improved rack and sterilizer. Fig. 2 is an enlargedelevation, partly in vertical section, of the rack.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the rack.

Fig. l is a horizontal sectional'view, taken.

on line-44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of one of the cages shown detached from therack.

"Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of the cages showing a number of lidsheld by the same.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional View of a portion of one of thecages, and illustrating the means for swiveling the same to the lowerdisk of the rack.

Fig. 8 is a similar view illustrating the means for swiveling the upperend of each of the cages to the upper dis of the rack.

Fig. 9 is a similar view illustrating the manner in which the steam orwater pipes are inserted through the upper disk of the rack 88 into thelatter.

In describing the invention, I will first refor to the rack which isbest shown in Fig. 2. The rack consists of a cast iron base 10 which hasa socket 11 in its upper end to receive, 00 with a pressure fit, thelower end of a pipe or rod 12. On the pipe 12, I rotatably mount a lowerdisk 13, and between the disk and base, a thrust bearing 14 is arrangedto permit the disk to freely rotate.

sleeve or pipe 15 is slid on to the pipe 12 from its upper end, andfunctions as a spacer for the upper disk 16 which has a whole 17 at itscenter to receive the upper end of the pipe 12.

For the purpose of rigidly connecting the upper and lower disks, I haveprovided each disk with six holes, to receive threaded rods 18 whichhave their ends connected to the disks by nuts 19; an upper and lowernut being provided at each end of the rod, so as to clamp the disks inposition. Each rod 18 is surrounded by a spacing sleeve 20, as bestshown in Fig. 9, for thepurpose of spacing the upper and lower disks. 30

Between the disks, I mount the ca cs 21, one of which is shown detachedin ig. 6. Each cage also'consists -oi a lower disk 22, an upper disk 23,and threaded rods 24:. The rods are. connected by pairs of nuts 25 tothedisks, and sleeves 26 surround the rods for spacing purposes.

In order that the rods may be adjusted toward and away from the axis ofthe disks, to accommodate can tops 27 of various sizes, each rod 24extends through curved slots 28, arranged in the disks 22 and 23. Eachslot is preferably arc-shaped, and one end of the same is arrangednearer the periphery of the disk than the other end of the slot.

Each cage is attached to the disks l3 and 16 by swivel connections, andas best shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the lower cage d1s k 22 has a dependingtrunnion 29 which fits 1n a step "bearing 30 on the lower disk 13, andmay be mounted on anti-friction'balls 31. After the lower trunnion hasbeen inserted in its step bearing 30, an upper trunnion 32on the disk23, will be in alignment with a vertically adjustable bearing member 33arranged on the cage disk 16, and when the bearing 33 is adj usted, thecage will be secured in a rotatable manner in the rack.

From the foregoing, it may be seen that this rack will hold can lids ofvarious sizes, and the whole rack may be rotated, as well as any one ofthe cages. As there are frequently two or three men taking lids out ofthe rack at the same time, and one or two men putting lids in, it willbe recognized that the revolving features of the rack have an advantage,for instead of it being necessary to turn the whole machine, either cagemay be turned, so that the operators will have free access to thevarious lids.

I have designed this rack with a view of combining the same with asterilizer, and to this end, the upper disk of the rack, as shown inFig. 3, is provided with three holes 34,

, designed to receive perforated steam pipes 35 which are rigidlymounted'in a vertically movable hood 36. This hood is normally held inan elevated position, and out of the way, by means of a cable 37, whichpasses over guide pulleys 38 and 39, that may be supported on theceiling and wall of the room in which the device is located. The freeend of the cable may be wound on a suitable support or hook '40 securedto the side wall. Steam is fed to the pipes 35 by means of a flexiblehose 41 that is attached to a pipe 42, having a control valve 43.

The lower end of the hood is designed to make close contact with thelower disk 13, and for this purpose, the lower disk is of largerdiameter than the upper disk 16, and the lower edge of the hood isprovided with a ring 44, formed of angle iron or the like. A cork washer45 is secured to the ring 44, and is designed to engage the uppersurface of the disk 13.

The lower edge of the hood and the lower disk may be secured together byany suitable fastening means, such as hooks 46.

WVhen the device is to be used as a sterilizer, sanitary pipe valves,cream separator parts, etc., may be placed on the shelves or disks, inaddition to the can lids, and after the hood has been lowered andsecured in position, as 'shown in Fig. 1, the steam may be turned on.Any condensation may escape through holes 47, (Fig. 4), provided in thelower disk.

The device may be used for washing purposes, by introducing waterthrough the pipe 42, instead of steam.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the construction, operation andadvantages of the invention may be readily understood, and I am awarethat changes may be made in the details disclosed, without departingfrom the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a sterilizer, a base, a hood, spaced rotatable disks mounted onthe base within the hood, and cages rotatably mounted between the disks.

2. In a sterilizer, a base, a hood, spaced disks rotatably mounted onthe base with1n the hood, and cages rotatably mounted between the disks,each cage including rods, and means for adjusting said rods toward oraway from the axis of rotation of the cage, and for fixing the rods invarious positions.

3. In a sterilizer, upper and lower rotatable disks, cages attached tothe disks by swivel connections, and including a pair of disks, eachdisk of the pair having a plurality of slots, one end of each slot beingarranged nearer the periphery of the disk in which it is located, thanthe other end of the slot, rods passing through said slots and joiningthe pair of disks, and means for adjustably securing the rods to thepair of disks.

4. In a sterilizer, a base, an axle having its lower end fixed to thebase, a hood, spaced disks rotatably mounted on the axle within thehood, a thrust bearing arranged between the lower disk and base, aspacing sleeve surrounding the axle and arranged between the disks, anda plurality of cages rotatably mounted between the disks, the ends ofthe cages having swivel connections with the disks.

5. In a sterilizer, a base, an axle carried by the base, upper and lowerdisks rotatably mounted on the axle, rod like members connecting andspacing the disks, and cages swiveled to said disks, each cage includinga pair of disks, each provided with slots, each slot having one of itsends arranged nearer the axis of the disk in which it is positioned,than its other end, rods passing through the slots, and means for fixingthe rods in various positions alongthe slots.

6. In combination, a floor supported rotatable rack having a diskprovided with perforations arranged about the axis of rotation, avertically movable hood to enclose the rack, means for raising andlowering said hood, pipes bf substantially the same height as the hoodrigidly mounted in the latter and positioned to enter the perforationswhen the hood is lowered, and means including a flexible pipe forleading a fluid to the hood.

7. In a sterilizer, a base, a hood resting on the base and forming withthe latter a closed casing, spaced rotatabledisks mounted on the basewithin the hood, and cages rotatably mounted between the disks, eachcage including a plurality of vertical bars spaced a art-a suflicientdistance for the introduction of milk can tops into the cage.

8. A sterilizing apparatus comprising a rack rotatable about a vertical.axis and having a 'top disk provided with perforations spaced fromsaidaxis, a hood, means for use a in moving the hood toward or away fromthe rack and to a position to enclose the rack, spacedperforated pipesrigidly connected to the hood, ositioned within the latter and extendingownwardl into close proximity to the bottom edge 0 the hood, said pipesbeing positioned to enter the perforations of said disk when the hood islowered, and 5 means for introducing a fluid into said pipes.

HENRY DRESSLER.

